A Lifted Subaru Outback Is The Best SUV You Can Buy
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- Опубліковано 19 жов 2024
- Can you offroad a lifted Subaru Outback? Yes, you can. And you abso-freakin-lutely should.
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For everyone who is talking about how much this outback "Can't rock crawl" or "Get a jeep"? When do you actually find yourself doing heavy off-road? Only when you WANT to on your own time. Im sure they're a few people who actually NEED the off-road capability of a Lifted car with lockers in there everyday life, but most Cars equipped with these 35 inch tires and a foot lift? Maybe actually use them to there full potential 10-20 times a year if the owner wants. I drive a 2009 Subaru Outback 2.5i limited and it takes me everywhere I want to go. Off-road? I'll just take a different line. Not everyone is going into mud holes or rockcrawling in MOAB. I could've gotten a Jeep or an Fj but I wanted an everyday vehicle that doesn't feel like I'm driving a bus and that's my personal opinion. Stop obsessing over the item and remember that off-roading is about getting out into nature and enjoying yourself whether it's in a Land Rover defender or in a Prius.
The only smart one here.
This is Exactly why I have an outback
Thank you for an actually reasonable comment 👍🏽
Whatever fruitcake. Have fun with your mall-crawler. ;)
You're right, getting into nature and enjoying yourself is the end, whatever vehicle you choose is the means, and matters much less. I live in the northern Rockies and I used to go hunting in my 85 Subaru GL with dual range 4WD. I remember crawling up an old skid trail and breaking out of the brush at the end to see a lifted Chevy pickup and a couple of guys glassing a hillside. My car was so quiet they didn't know I was coming until I was there. The look of disgust on their faces was priceless. Another time I brought a mule deer through a check point in a Geo Metro.
from some of the comments, it seems like people didn't watch the whole video. The dude knows he's not in a rock climber. I've thought of going with a Subaru with a lift for an 'adventure' car. It seems like a solid camp, hike and fishing vehicle. He seems pretty pleased with what he's done... that baja on the other hand... wth...
Caption readers...
+jimmy81286 And most don't realize that Subaru's are Rally cars. No matter how stock and family friendly they make them appear, they are all built with Rally in mind; some more than others of course.
The Legacy is a low-mid range rally car. The Imprenza Is a mid range Rally. Both had Outback Wagon versions.
The Forester is a Rally SUV.
Jeremy Blair haha none of them are rally anymore, they keep the "look" of the car but all its guts and body panels are different. like an impala or ford fusion is a nascar...no lol. they might be rally on a smaller scale level with ameture and novice classes but the pros have custom built everything from the ground up.
The issue isn't that it's not a rock climber, the issue is that a stock wrangler, or your average pickup, will be much more capable off road. According to this guys descriptions, something similarly priced would be an f-250/350 with 4 inches of lift, which can clear 37s, so 10 inches of total lift over stock. Stock, which was more capable than this "lifted" subaru. Mileage is poor, but that's a fact of life when going off road.
Jeremy Blair, only the last very few they have some sort of torque managemnet, in the previous years almost all of them, apart from top spec or performance models, had open diffs that can't do shit. Subaru advertised them a lot as rally cars, and that attracted special audience. That's why you see so many videos with subarus, so many owners are just crasy, they abuse their cars and go offroading with the foot on the floor. At least old audis have torsen.
Mad props for actually wheeling his Subaru. Most never see even a gravel road. No doubt this thing rides fine on the road where as a stock Wrangler is a handful on pavement.
The other advantage of a mild off-road vehicle is less wild obstacles are fun challenges. The fun is in the challenge and the accomplishment. This guy doesn't have to find monster trails to have a good time.
Evan Moon This is a huge thing people overlook. I wheel in my 07 Forester and i have plenty of fun. I just pick trails that will challenge the limits of the wagon. I have had big 4x4's and it can be boring being able to drive over everything without even thinking about it.
+matguest this comes to the bigger question. Do you wheel off road for the challenge or cause you want to show off? A lifted/equipped rig with lockers and big tires can roll through average obstacles with ease, but why? Why build it big to not use it? Same thing with having a race ready car to just roll around in traffic. But if you have a bone stock rig with open diffs you really have to be attentive to weight transfer and suspension. I agree with you about enjoying the challenge.
+Evan Moon In places like Northern Arizona, and Southern Utah all along small towns especially on Highway 12, just about everyone has a Subaru. Averaging from late 90's to early 2000 models, these things run forever, even out here on rough terrain and roads. :-)
+Evan Moon my mom got her outback stuck in our yard in like 5 inches of snow.
+Andrew Goss Bad tires
"Yeah, it's got pretty good ride height"... *crunk* "Damn, that sucks..."
"Ok, we're just gonna' move this rock and carry on..." *strains while lifting the rock* "Ok, we're gonna' go round 'cause that's a pretty big rock."
Epic jokes! :D
@Jake Colbert well you sit at home then while he goes wheeling haha
I mean, he also needs to learn to drive and pay attention. 🤷♂️
My XJ wouldnt have hit that rock... ijs
@@stormsmack69 Yah, a lot of proper 4x4's without a lift would not have hit it. And those with proper driving attention spans would know which lines to pick. lol
You have a good sense of humor lol I didn't even see the joke while watching.
I love this Outback. Ive been looking into getting one for sometime. My girlfriend and I love getting out there hiking and enjoying the outdoors. I mean great mileage, comfort, reliability and some off road prowess truly makes the vehicle shine out from the rest of the competition.
You get it!!
>"it's pretty much as good as anything else out there"
>crashes into 4" rock
lol lol
L O L L O L
😂
How did he not see that
*Professional Adventurer Label:
Crashes into rock.
I love how prepared and well equipped the guy with the Subaru is.
+Brenton Rodriquez Exactly, I spied Yuenglings in that cooler. The man knows how to pack.
Grant Wilson Hey Grant, this is awesome. What kind of rear spare tire mount are you using? Is it 1.25” or 2”? Thanks!
Im a Jeep and Subie guy. Putting a 4" long arm on my V8 ZJ, and 2" lift on my 2000 Outback with some Grabber AT2's. Ive done alot of simple wheeling in the Outback already since my Jeep is getting bumpers made. Love it!
That was fun to watch and as a Wrangler owner I say congrats to this guy for trying something different!
A lifted outback is basically like having a brand new subbie crossover, and it looks better than a forester.
Fozzie master race
Raditram anything looks better than a Forester. I wish Subaru took some design queues from the Rav4 or c-X5
One of the reasons I bought my 2018 outback was the 8.7” of ground clearance. The second, the 3.6R trim with the flat 6 250hp/250tq.
For goodness sake use a jack stand. I’ve seen several scissor jacks collapse, especially if you’re wiggling the car around wrenching on stuff. One almost killed one of my crew at STPR a few years ago.
Cool outback otherwise, Subaru’s are definitely more off-road capable than most people will ever need. I’ve taken my stock height STI on ORV trails before, the look on ATV riders faces when you catch up to them is priceless :)
Actually improved the look too.
I did this with a Volvo XC70 several years ago, had the thing on 29. something inch Yokohama Geolandar A/T-S tires. It was a monster, people were constantly surprised by what it could do. I ended up getting an old Suzuki Sidekick Sport and then lifted that and traded the XC70 for a new XC60 T6 Sport. With the 20s it has it wouldn't be seeing more than dirt roads and that's where the Suzuki comes in. Glad to see more people out there going things differently than the crowd.
"good for offroading" proceeds to rub and scrape the shit out of everything...
it's the best of SUV's he says when it comes to offroading
Call it a hipster vehicle all you want. Subarus are extremely popular in Idaho. They handle like a cat on icy mountain roads and interstates; much better than any pickup truck. Turn off the traction control and it will get you through deep snow. They are also great for driving down miles of washboard dirt roads (handles better than a pickup). Stock, they have more than enough ground clearance for camping and light off roading and make a great backup hunting rig. All of this capability and it gets over 30 MPG. An Outback will never replace a pickup for heavier towing and hauling. I have both...a 4WD pickup and an Outback. Having two AWD vehicles doesn't hurt when you live in a place where the roads are rarely plowed in the winter. I'll keep my Subaru until the wheels fall off.
Phillip VanSickle I agree fully, they’re absolute beasts in Northern Idaho. I loved taking mine on state land overseeing spirit lake vs owning a 2whl drive vehicle where I wouldn’t have even bothered going on the roads. When it snows, I don’t have to bother with putting chains on, lmao as long as I’m not being a dumb ass just mobbin around for the fun of it. And even for just traveling from state to state they’re a practical, reliable, and I would say one of the most innovative cars on the market. That’s just an opinion though.
Phillip VanSickle never compare a truck to a Subaru can Subaru go 90 mph on desert roads with big bumps fully stock I don’t think so cause it Plus all the stuff under the engine is not tucked in well like trucks for off roading and skid plate to protect the gas tank and the engine those vehicles are not made to go hard core off road
R0tten umm Jeep is the best off-roading
I have a 2002 Subaru Outback H6 3.0.. And I'm taking that through everything you can possibly imagine and never got stuck.. pulled out jeeps and trucks and climbing Hills that jeeps and trucks struggling with..
😂😂😂ok
Great video. This kid is humble. Knows what he can and can't do. Much respect.
"Has the same ground clearance as an xterra"
*smashes against 4 inch tall rock*
Wait, I'm supposed to be convinced that I should buy a Subaru Outback for offroading after the dude's car is nearly destroyed by a rock that is sticking out from the ground by maybe 4"? LMAO.
He needs up graded spring. Hes got alot in the back causing the stock springs to sag. Look up Fozroamer. He has the ultimate offroad Forester.
"It's got the same ground clearance as an Xterra"
BAM (proceeds to run into 6" tall rock)
"That sucked."
yes, i loved my X, 5sp S/C. but Mine didnt come standard with lockers. couldnt afford to put them in. but the Subi comes standard with them. Believe it or not my '16 Ford Escape has an equivalent locking system that subi's do. just as capable. 1 wheel or 2 off the ground, but alas the clearance sucks :(
@@michaelgeorge3092 subies don't have lockers, in fact, for the most part, no crossovers have lockers.
I’ve got a 2018 3.6r outback. Stock standard, it’s a fantastic all rounder. Pretty fast through the bends and fairly capable on our farm tracks. One of the best vehicles I’ve owned…and I’ve owned A LOT of cars over the last 40 years of my driving history.
Heck yeah! Just got my 2018 3.6R. Absolutely love it.
Underrated? All I've ever heard about Subarus is that they are tanks. Off-road, onroad, and lasts to 200k+ miles
You heard wrong. Most don't even make it past 130k, let alone to 200k. That, and it's still a crossover, no matter how you slice it. My 07 4runner. STOCK, can go farther off-road than a "built" Subaru can. And its a 2wd version at that. Also, they average 350k+ on standard maintenance alone. Both the v6 (what mine has) and v8 option. Have 1mil mile examples. No rebuilds.
Subaru is cool. Just nowhere near the level of reliability as Toyota is. Just have world's best awd system, not much else that sets them apart.
MyCrippledWings lmao I’ve owned SEVERAL Subaru’s that have gone to 200k😂
@@MyCrippledWings a 1993 impreza i had lasted up to 430k because it was driven almost 200km every day.
@@sixunity1171 yeah, maybe in the 90s, not so much since the 2000s-present. Toyota and Honda have more vehicles sold still on the road today, with well over 300k ORIGINAL miles on them, than any other companies. Subaru is nowhere near as reliable to either of those two, not even close. Lol
We're talking miles, not kilometres.
Any vehicle can go over 200k if you rebuild them enough. But with a Toyota or Honda in most cases, this is on original engines and transmissions. No head gasket replacements, no rebuilds/brand new engines/trans put in them. They get that far with minimal needs on factory equipment.
Subaru today is lucky to get past the 150k mark, if it even reaches 100k first.
They're number #1 in customer satisfaction most the time, but #7 or lower on reliability. Next to Nissan now, as far as reliability and quality goes, by today's standards.
@@MyCrippledWings my subaru was completely stock, except the wheels of course
subbies are balanced. It got some offroad and some on road and that makes it an ultimate vehicle for everyday use in the city.
Heres the thing, its a good drive on the road, its a good drive off the road, its not as comfortable as a luxury car, and not as capable as a jeep, but its better than all of those in the opposite regard. i've owned sports cars, jeeps, trucks, and SUV's. The subaru Outback is a good all around vehicle thats a 7/10 in everything while a jeep is a 10/10 offroad and get anywhere you want vehicle, but a 3/10 daily driver. along with any other vehicles specs.
Defiantly a rad car. I like how the guy super into it, it's not about how capable your rig is, its about your attitude and your passion for the sport, not everyone wants to just fly over every obstacle, some people enjoy the challenge. I had someone following me at TDS last year in a Subaru just like this and I gladly hung back and helped him through a number of obstacles because he was a nice guy and had a good attitude and we had a blast, way more fun than just sitting in my built wrangler waiting for the guy ahead of me to pass over something. That being said, I think the title of this video is complete click bait, there is no grounds to claim that this is the "best" anything and the video certainly didn't show any. But in order to work up a bunch of off road guys into watching their video they purposely leave the "off road" out of the title and then go and take this so Called "best suv" off road the entire video. "Oh but read the title, we didn't say it was the best OFF ROAD suv" no but you sure as hell insinuated it, and did a terrible job and trying to prove it.
I had the first turbo station wagon that Subaru ever made, when I bought it it had been modified by the previous owner and was running 2 bar boost.
0-100km/h it used to pull ahead 3 car lengths on a 5.7 V8 and it only used 12L/100 km
I could sleep in the back and if I had lifted it up it could also have done what this vehicle does. I absolutely loved that car.
For all the 4x4 types out there saying Noooo this is silly, just think about this for a while.
Choose a vehicle that is good at doing what you do in it 99% of the time.
If you climbing mountains all day over boulders then you need a 4x4 jeep type of vehicle, fair enough, but if you driving on freeway or just dirt roads 99% of the time and you lugging around a huge 4x4 truck with a transfer case and monster tires, then you are paying for all that fuel 100% of the time for a task that you perform 0.01% of the time......that's not smart.
This guy is an engineer and so am I........ 5 years of integral calculus, mechanics of machines, thermodynamics, strength of materials and machine design does kind of give us a bit of a larger knowledge base than what most people have to call on when making decisions about mechanical devices, so if we say its good, the chances that it is good are high.
If you dont have a degree in Engineering and you say this is bad the chances that you are correct are low.
A stock Subaru turbo does 9L/100 km or 26 mpg and 0-100km/h or 60 miles an hour in 6 seconds, keep that in mind the next time you fill up you big 4x4 beast you so proud of.
My CR-V AWD gets 31mpg on the freeway when its warm. Stop and go driving in cold weather I've seen as low as 22mpg.
And CR-Vs are rated some of the the best mpg nonhybrid AWD crossovers, something like 36mpg because it's a lightweight rear diff made to help you get through I guess 4inches deeper snow on a road than an AWD sedan.
The only way I would think even a Subaru outback or forester actually would get 28mpg is if the weather was warm, driving on flat road, at a constant 1200-1500 rpm, ie driving like a granny in the perfect environment.
I've driven a WRX, in town stop and go but not chirping tires, and was getting 17-20mpg.
The ride will be much more comfortable with a WRX than a Wrangler on a freeway, but Subaru mpg is notably lower in real world driving than many other AWD vehicles such as mine. Granted it's more capable offroad than mine, but it honestly is not that much better when a lightweight aluminum body F-150 with a real 4WD system can get a demonstrated highway 23mpg from the V6. Offroad is of course going to be lower than that.
This guy seems absolutely clueless though, his CV joint boot got torn on an offroad park...hes not going to have a CV joint in a short while going through that swampy mud, yeah he saves gas money but then has to spent 20x his savings on CV-joints and alighnments next time that rock hits his stamped-steel swingarm instead of gouging his 18-guage skidplate.
As someone with an engineering background, and who currently owns both a Subaru Forester as well as Jeep JLU Rubicon, I totally get where you're coming from. I believe it ultimately comes down to lifestyle, hobbies, personal preference, and budget. I would say most people are aware that a Jeep with armor, big off-road tires, and a lift is going to be a poor financial choice for mere transportation of people and gear in most cases... but then so are things like a Camaro, Mustang, or Challenger. Owning a vehicle like that isn't about being efficient, it's about having fun; it's an expensive adult play-thing before it's a reasonable mode of transportation. I could put a lift and all-terrain tires on my Forester and get everywhere I "need" to go. But when driving my Rubicon I have more fun than I ever could in my Forester. It's not about the destination, it's about the journey.
@@johnfilmore7638
Newer Subarus are quite a bit more efficient than the old ones. My 2020 Forester gets 35 mpg on the highway, when I actually drive the speed limit lol. I usually get about 30-31 hwy mpg with my habits.
Sure doesn't look like a 4" lift.
I thought so too. looks like my stock 2012 outbacks clearance. but, he does have a lot of gear stowed away in there.
He stuffed a lot of tire under it. fills up the lift..
He has 29" tires
No, bigger tires should ADD to the lifted effect. I'm having a hard time seeing that lift too.
Tacomaholic
Outbacks are cool. But definetly not the best SUVs for offroad, maybe the safest because there so low.
They’re*
It may not have ground clearance but it goes more places than the average Wrangler owner will ever go.
"Same ground clearance as a Nissan Xterra......BAM"
Great video! I do the same thing with my '99 Outback. The only difference is I off road in the California deserts.
My humble opinion... the modification made may be better on a Subaru Crosstrek or Forrester. Personally I like the Outback most but in this particular application, the Forrester maybe more suitable and the Crosstrek maybe the best for the modification made.
I picked up a 2001 Outback and installed a 2" lift. It's the H6 VDC and it gets to my hunting camp through mud, sugar sand and rough terrain with almost zero drama with the exception of one approach that hits the front bumper (pre lift). It gets over 22 MPG getting there and storage is great. I have heavy trucks that I use as well and can compare on the same run. My Dodge 2500 V10 was hopeless offroad because of weight. Front and rear lockers were installed and heavy foot needed to keep momentum up. GMC 2500 6.0L truck- factory rear locker and lower weight allows this truck to float a bit, but some wheel spin needed to keep from getting stuck. Toyota FJ cruiser- No drama and competent. When we took the Subaru in for the first time I had my buddy with the tractor on speed dial, but no worries as the Subaru made the run like it was nothing. It's just a light duty package so parts won't last as long and the undercarriage is more vulnerable. My fuel bill when I take the Subaru on a long weekend to the woods goes from $160 with the 2500 trucks to $55. Not too shabby.
It's funny I'm building a Saab 9-5 wagon into a similar vehicle.
I like the class term "Traction Wagon" to describe these.
Amesie's Corner that term is actually brilliant. Enough with these highway suvs and wannabe rough wagons - we need traction wagons!
Daniel Kemnitz reddit.com/r/battlewagons
Amesie's Corner reddit.com/r/battlewagons
The mid-late 80's Subaru GL Turbo wagons were actually advertised as the Turbo-Traction Wagon!
Jacob Burnette srsly? I gotta get me one of those :D
love his creativity though and definitely not something you'll see often so props to that buddy. That 20 mpg would be amazing when XC the states and hitting trails in the process. thumbs up to this dude
wheels for 2 hours, creates 8 hours of must do maintenance. well it sure sounds like a rock crawler to meeee... minus the rocks.
As the former owner of a lifted Legacy L wagon on Outback suspension and 27" Grabber AT2 tires, I approve of this video.
1:10 That face you make when you thought your Subaru had more ground clearance than a Nissan Xterra! XD
I have an 07' LL-BEAN Outback with a flat-6.. It's a BEAST!! It loves snow and I've pulled a few trucks out of bad situations..
The Subaru Outback is a fine vehicle, but what happens when you lift it? THIS!
Jalopnik I have a lifted subaru outback! check out my vid, its been modded even more now i'll post a new vid soon.
I like this, want to lift many A4 allroad
You're not going to believe what happens next!
+Jalopnik any idea who might make lift kits for the older ones (2001-2004)?
Thomas Seaton ya, subaru does.
This video perfectly captures why I stopped going "off road" for the sake of going off road. You're just gonna break shit. But these cars are awesomely capable and versatile adventure vehicles. And they look gnarly when you lift em.
There's no way that is going to last. I would NEVER off-road with a vehicle equipped with a CVT. Not only are they not known for reliability, but the lift combined with the extra stress from climbing obstacles is absolutely going to tear that thing apart. Good luck trying to get Subaru to honor the warranty when the transmission blows up. Subaru's are made for all weather driving, but not heavy off-roading. It's pretty clear from this video. I feel sorry for whoever inherits this car down the road if this guy decides to sell it. Just because it has all wheel drive doesn't mean you treat it like that.
I had a tiny little Subaru Impreza 1996 on larger legacy wheels and it had surprisingly high ground clearance. I did some crazy stuff with that car, took it down rugged unpathed gullies in the NZ bush, out the beaches and harbours and hills, no problem at all. Small, light and high up enough to get over whatever I needed. Really miss that little car. Doing this tame stuff is one thing, but going so far that you are 40km from the nearest cellphone reception and having complete trust that your car will handle it all is crazy for a little Subaru where there's no road's
That owner of the slammed Baja is a disgrace to the Subaru brand.
Hayden Walstrom lol what I said
It really steals the show.
Some would say its a disgrace to see a car in an offroad trail. To each their own.
Eat it Like who?
its his car he can do whatever he wants. a disgrace is putting horrible camber on a car, not lowering it
I have an unmodified 06 Outback and it goes off-road better than most people would expect. A few years ago I sold my 00 Outback that had over 214k miles (my wife really wanted me to sell it...It was bittersweet to see it go). It's a very capable car for mountain adventures here in Utah. It's the best in the snow.
“Pretty good ground clearance” *slams into rock”
Stop 😂😂😂😂😂
My 2001 Forester is the perfect LA vehicle. I don't commute anymore so the Subie sits in the driveway a lot. But she is the perfect get away car. Mountains, Beaches. Ski vacations. Love my Subie!
Who makes that pull out canopy? That thing is awesome!
To me it just looks like a generic canopy, I don't think it's specific to the outback
it's called an awning; the ones they're using are made specifically for off road vehicles and attach to roof racks. ARB probably makes the best vehicle awnings.
Yakima makes them
There is like 20 brands that make these.
they are big in Australia
just lifted my '98 legacy to 7" clearance. I've been taking it offroading to Death Valley, the Black Rock desert, and some large hills by my house. It can handle most reasonable terrain: rough roads, sand, mud, relatively steep hill climbs. I just wish it had a locking diff. Like he said, it's good for getting you where you want to go. I can't remember how many times I've had to turn back on an adventure because I had 2" ground clearance.
Torq locker has a rear locker for ya!
Love the ending.
This is why I'm keeping my 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca !! It isn't a rock crawler... but it goes where I need it to go.
Best SUV you can buy.... Let me just move the Rocks off the track
The problem with lifting vehicles for off-roading, is that it is wearing out your CV and U joints much quicker. It also hurts your gas mileage. Of course everyone else that you're driving with their is driving a vehicle with a lift kit also.
My stock XJ with front stabilizer disconnects may not be Rubicon ready, but it will do anything you guys are driving on there with no problem. My XJ could probably handle the Rubicon, but I would sustain a bunch of body damage though cuz of the boulders in the road, but then so would those Vehicles there.
The Jeep XJ gets 20 miles to the gallon and doesn't need any lift kit for what you guys are doing there.
lol
The video start and he builds it up like it's as great as any purpose built offroader.
Dents skidplate, punctures engine manifold, CV damage, another scuffed plate...
"Grants an engineer, so he appreciates efficiency"
Do you know what's efficient?
Not a new Outback jacked up to do things it shouldn't do.
And of course he goes on to say that the guy with a bagged Baja ruined it.
Look at your wagon, guy.
The argument he later makes about his use case makes a lot more sense but he's clearly pushing it to stupid.
I like his attitude. I learned to drive on logging roads, with cars that could no longer pass the state inspection. We learned all about just where you can make an automobile go.
A Subaru is way better than that!
Subaru sells a lifted Outback, it's called a Forester! A couple inches shorter but the same inches taller, and with more clearance standard... All Subarus follow a parts-bin design motif so sitting on the inside of one versus the other would hardly be any different...
Both 2016 forester and Outback have 8.7 inches clearance. However roof top on Forester is less than one of nch taller.
they have same clearance like Roman said but more importantly, the forester has better approach and departure angles, and break over angle
Totally different driving experience between the two
No it isn't. The Outback is built on the Legacy platform which is an intermediate. The Forester is built on the Impreza platform which is a compact.
lokiisgodhi - Holy shit someone who gets it.
Dude, good to see you on this Grant! Not sure how we're just now finding this but glad we did! Cheers to one fun dude!
A simple stock tacoma would be just as good and with a little modification much better.
Except a taco gets horrible gas mileage, looks like crap, drives like crap on the highway, and is way slower. Did you completely miss the point of what this guy is doing? I cannot believe how many stupid comments there are on this video.
Austin Kirk tacomas (the newer ones) get about 17-18 average. I got what he was trying to do, but he ended up with something that looks shitty, drives shitty off road, and is much worse on road than it was before.
Nicks Customs how much time does one actually spend driving on road vs. off? Also, looks are subjective. If you're limited to just one vehicle to try and do-it-all, I think the Outback is a way smarter choice.
Eric R. Shelton If you're going to spend the time to custom build a vehicle for offroad, I'd say quite a bit.
Nicks Customs more than on roads, though? You're absolutely right about off-road performance, but real-world livability...? (I should admit now, though, that I'm not an off-roader. I'm a truck hater and dedicated sport car/bike guy. It's all about the lens you view it though.)
Everyone in these things talks about the gas mileage, but no one talks about safety and reliability. When it comes to IIHS and NHTSA ratings, all true 4WD vehicles are lacking. A Toyota or Mazda might last longer, but Subarus easily outlast Jeeps, Land Rovers, and these days, even Hondas. Mazdas aren't as off-road worthy. In other words, the Outback is a nearly optimal all-around vehicle. If there's a car that's safer on paved roads, more off-road worthy, and will last longer, I'd love to know about it.
So I get that this guy wants a civilized daily that can still go off road, but this thing still makes no sense to me.
1. I highly doubt this car maintains its good stock ride and handling with a 4 inch lift.
2. He had to hack up the bumpers to get decent approach clearance, and mounting solutions for recovery hooks. Have fun with re-sale.
3. It stills sucks off road. He's breaking and scraping things on obstacles most stock SUVs would clear easily.
4. "Hurr durr, it gets good gas mileage". How many thousands of dollars did he spend ghetto rigging up mods to make this thing slightly less shitty off road? How much gas would that buy?
splewy Not to mention that anything over 2 inches lift for independent suspension is too hard on the CV joints and will break them prematurely, unless his is talking about total increase (lift + tire). CVs are meant to work level with the diff unlike a U-joint that can work at an angle.
Unless your CV were at an upward angle to start with or you drop the diff it's simply not possible.
+Grant Wilson Love the outback. I've got an 05 LGT 5mt wagon that's built for street but used to have a 85 4runner. I used to work on subarus too. Your wagon is an inspiration to a lot of people. Love the mods. How did you fit the winch behind the factory bumper? Cut the crash bar out? Great tire choice BTW, great on the street and pretty good offroad.
+splewy true....my stock landrover would eat this thing alive......and when asked if his CAR would do that small climb...hes like fuck nooo..........this car is only good for dirt roads.
have you been smoking crack?
As long as you don't expect to do any rock crawling, and watch out for big rocks in the trail, a Subaru will do great. Even stock. Though an Outback does have shit approach and departure angles, but I always preferred them to the forrester. When I was a kid my parents were in a Subaru club and we went all kinds of places with them. And when I was younger I would take my stock Outback in the bush with a bunch of other Subaru guys. Busted both my front CVs on a rocky trail (my fault) and drove it did months before getting them replaced. They're solid cars.
love this lifted outback, very nice man :)
Lots of people seem to think you need insane clearance, lift, and 4WD to get off the road. All of those things are fun, yes, and necessary if you're not willing to take your time and think about what you're doing. I used to own a 4Runner, and I'm surprised I never managed to break it because I was frequently an idiot with it.
There's a shooting area I went to several times that was at the end of a very rutted and neglected dirt road, and it always amused me to see the reactions of people pulling up in their trucks. You could totally see the "how the frack did a Miata get here" on their faces. Maybe it took me twice as long, but being smart about your lines makes any vehicle a hell of a lot less likely to get stuck and I have an LSD and play it pretty safe. It's not something I'd do a lot, but it's fun when I do.
It's more fun to drive a slow car fast, and a low car through shit. I'll probably never get anywhere first, but as long as I don't get too silly I'll have more fun doing it. That said, I doubt I'd want to do more than a few miles at a time, and fording is right out.
Why not just get a ... forester?
***** For one person who is using the roof to store things I don't think it will make that much of a difference.
***** according to my research, the 2015 legacy outback has 73.3 cubic feet of cargo room with the back seats folded down. and the 2015 Forester has 74.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the back seats folded down.
with back seats upright, the Forester has 34.4 cubic feet of cargo room and the legacy Outback has 35.5 cubic feet.
neverknows best Thanks. The difference is not that big. I own a 15 forester btw.
I actually saw a lifted Forester driving down I-495 the other day all covered in mud. It had a sizable lift, huge meaty tires, and a snorkel. I was so confused haha!
Why don't you just STFU and let us know when your build makes it onto Jalopnik? The people in the jalop comments are the worst.
Congrats to this guy for going down the different path... Have had many Subarus.. all have been very nice cars, and very reliable...
One other often over looked soft roader is the 1st Gen Honda CRV. Decent ground clearance, and a decent and simple AWD system. And Cheap parts, since it is basically a lifted Honda Civic.
The 4Runner the host showed up in was better than any subie stock and modified
1980 Subaru Leone DL Wagon. Engine swapped for an EJ22 out of a 92 Legacy, doubling the HP and Torque. 5sp DR FWD/4WD Manual from an 86 Loyale GL. Limited Slip Rear Differential from another variation of the 86 Loyale. 4" block lift with 2" drop of motor, trans, and diff. Obligatory WRX wing mounted on rear hatch.
"more ground clearance than a nissan xterra" SMASH
as new Subaru owner, this is the most informative video.
I love my Subaru but best SUV I'll give that to the 4runner
I call BS on that being a 4 inch lift. Thats a 2 inch lift tops. I put a 3 inch on my 03 discovery II and it made quite a big difference. A 4 inch lift on this thing would be way higher, and it wouldn't have hit that little 6 inch rock. Cool subie, but nowhere near 4 inch lift.
Best SUV?? Wtf. I was expecting something a bit more impressive. It looks like a nice rig for certain tasks but it is far from the best.
Bmac 814 I think the idea is that it's the best all around off roader you can get. While a wrangler or FJ cruiser may be able to climb more rocks, they lack in being good civilian vehicles. A subaru can be modded into an off roader while still getting good gas mileage and being comfortable
Also when your taking about a “SUV” based on a car platform it’s about the only one that can handle it. I personally own a outback and know quite a few people who own them and off road them and they are great all around vehicles. They do what we want them to do and sometimes out do some of the more true off roaders and we don’t get abismal fuel economy while doing it.
I live in Arizona. Lots of 4x4 trails here. We know how to drive them. This guy is learning the hard way.
Bro, you goin to MOAB??
Maggio Man It would never make it back
Alex Stern my buddy with a legacy l 2.2 goes out to moab every day, he lives there, it only has outback suspension and it does it every day for 12 years now.
***** That's cool. How did he solve the approach and departure angles problem?
Alex Stern no bumpers outback suspension and 27" tyres.my outback wagon has more clearance than his car tho, check my vids, 11.5" from ground to the lowest point under my car the rear diff.
Cole Warwick I removed pumpers, and I didnt build a rock crawler, I just improved an already capable car a little.
I recently did a 2200km off-road adventure with my 2012 Jeep Wrangler and averaged 20.5 mpg. That is including the 2 days off road. I was at a premium for cargo space, but I was happy to trade it for lockers and ground clearance.
am I the only one that watched 1:07 over and over
***** I bet lol (cool car though)
+apache1234657 haha, his face is priceless. I love watching a subi driver in pain. Couldn't get over a tiny fucking rock
+apache1234657 Did you not hear it the first time? Why replay over n over? I'll explain for you lol he is not 14 inches in the air so therefore has a skid plate, which hit a rock. hahahahaha fucking morons
Lifted Subarus are an old tradition, especially in Australia where lifted L-series (Leone/loyale) are hugely popular and, due to their light weight, can outperform many 'proper' 4x4 vehicles. Search for off-road L-series and take a look.
its too low tho
too big of tires. Its lifted 4 inches but the tires are bigger too
Our private road to our house was horrible before we had it chip sealed. We still have to put both our Outback and Forester in Xmode just to get up our road and into our garage during the winter months.
That’s the only “off roading” our Subie’s ever see.
We have a 4WD pickup for that
"the subaru outback is just as capable as anything else on the market" *breaks down multiple times on trail*
LMFAO!!! No shit, right.... try an 8" lift next time, huh?
It didn't break down. He just checked to make sure he didn't damage anything vital that would cause issues if he continued. It made it out without repair.
I think mthlaxer meant the vehicle ran in to issues/problems in several areas. He kept having to check under the vehicle for serious damage.
mthlaxer I know this video was hilarious
If he would have just bought a 4x4 he wouldn't have that issue. And don't get AWD confused with 4x4, they are to very different systems. AWD = Street Performance, 4x4 = Offroad performance.
I got myself a 2018 outback and it's more fun and engaging to go offroading in it then in my 2008 jeep wrangler that pretty much went thru everything without any real challenge, so where's the fun in that? It's just more fun to have a bit of a challenge when traversing any offroad terrain, you actually feel like you accomplished something when you look back at all the hard obstacles your Subaru went thru...if you know what I mean, its like you expect a jeep wrangler to go thru any offroad obstacle but you dont expect that from a Subaru, which surprises you when your able to clear obstacles that you wouldnt think it could.
Just get a 4runner
Toyota ftw!!
hella cant go wrong with a yota
+Tamayo1980 Don't you mean a Tacoma?
fatboy19831
Lol yeah that too. I'm debating on which one to get. TRD pro runner or TRD pro tacoma. If the Tacoma came with back roll down window I'd be sold
Tamayo1980 Tocomas do much better off road than the 4runners. I don't fully understand why they have the same chassis and weigh about the same. 4runners get stuck and have issues with the traction control. They dent and brake easy also. This type of environment is not the best thing for them.
I go all the time with my buddies in the Poconos with a stock 2015 outback. 1 dude has a hummer h2, there's a 4Runner and a couple of open air rock crawlers. my outback has a couple of bangs and bruises, and I can't hit the mud pits, but on a class 3 trail it has no problem.
Cool and creative build, I actually like it but this car doesn't have enough clearance... Even with the lift, you can't go off-roading in places like this. A used stock 4Runner can do whatever this Subaru can and probably even more, the 4runner is a comfy ride on the road as well. I own a stock 2010 Land Cruiser and whenever I go mudding with the right tire pressure and the raised hydraulic suspension I never really have any issues and if I really push it, I can get through whatever modified FJs and Wranglers go through and that doesn't limit my car from being extremely practical in terms of storage, gadgets, luxury and ride comfort. I can't judge people's preferences, taste and opinions but this isn't the best SUV you can buy, there are far better SUVs you can get for cheaper.
no. there is nothing better than a Subaru.
boxer gives low cc
agile like a ferrari on the tarmac. fun and easy to slide around icy roads. symmetric awd has best grip and is just so much more predictable when sliding around bumpy icy roads of Finland. .
lift,lockers and huge tyres with offroad sus would make a subaru climb them boulders too, just like eny other modded vehicle.
Dude, thanks for repping the Ambassador program! Love the Outback!
Every time someone mentions getting a proper vehicles for the off-roading you do you say "but they cant get my MPG's"
Sorry to burst your bubble but my Jeep Grand Cherokee on 32" tires and a 2" lift will blow the doors off your Subaru in both off-roadability and MPG's....why? Diesel. 28mpg's average.
Just went offroading today, nothing scraped, nothing bottomed out, went to my favorite shooting spot and all i had to do was pull the lever to go into 4-lo.
I think the person you are yelling at the loudest to try and convince us that what you did was a good idea is....you.
+Rebel635csi Nothing beat 4Lo. Xmode is a pretty lousy substitute of a "low range" if you ask.
+Rebel635csi Buuuut you lose traction alllllll day, have fun with your 4x4 hahaha subarus symmetrical awd system is statistically proven to provide better traction than any car company ever made hahahaha fact
Brandon Degenstein The grand cherokee has a much better system. I'd tell you why but I bet you don't know what a differential is.
Hahaha good job assuming, considering I do all the work on my own vehicles. But yeah, I own AWD vehicles and dont know what a dif is hahaha go look up the statistics silly fanboy, i like facts, not just because i like it lol
Brandon Degenstein Well then you are a special kind of stupid. You seriously think your open diff are better than a lockable D44? Get real.
Nothing beats a 4x4
A Lifted -Subaru Outback- Toyota 4Runner Is The Best SUV You Can Buy
Actually a land Cruiser is (;
This is the best Subaru Outback video I have seen on You Tube. Very cool.
The best way to lift a Subaru is to drive it to a dealer and trade it in on a Cherokee.
a stock outback has more ground clearance that a stock Cherokee. lol
Not an XJ or ZJ. I forgot about the abomination that is the new Cherokee.
Sgt Moose oh man I'm with you on that for sure! I still run my' 97 TJ that I've had since '01. Love that 4.0l i6 so much. The new Cherokees are such a joke! So many more capable vehicles in that small SUV category. Jeep shit the bed. XJ's are awesome. Love my '10 Outback though. Amazingly capable all-arounder
id rather have a car that will last longer then 2 months before needing fixed sorry lol jeeps are fucking grabo
I owned a Jeep XJ for years, and only ever replaced a radiator and thermostat.
Some fender flares on that thing and it would look even better! Good to see someone putting the subuaru through its paces in the mud
What int he actual fuck is wrong with the guy in the baja?
First of all, no subaru should ever be slammed, lifted if anything, or if it's for track, then lowered to a usable height, but definitely not turned into a scraper with some stancenation stretched tires.
Second of all the thing is literally called the Baja, why the fuck would you lower a baja truck?
Thirdly this creature is in the middle of fucking nowhere, where theres not even paved roads, and is driving that shit.
But honestly, the baja is such an ugly vehicle, why would you even choose that to do your modifications to? Unless they were strictly looking for an offroader?
Let the guy do what he wants... at the end of the day, it's their car.
Expected comment from typical hella-flush import kid
plokmijn47 I'm personally a function over form person (though my profile picture certainly contradicts that, lol), but you can't go around saying something's ugly to you. It's his build, his idea, his sweat and passion went into HIS vehicle (note the excessive use of his). Would you like it if people called your idea of a perfect Subaru stupid? Would you like it if they shitted all over your car? The point is, it may be art to some, but to you, it isn't... And that's fine, as long as you respect the car and the person who put their money and more into it. (To me, it's kind of cool, but a very useless car).
how old r u? I'm serious.
there's a WHOLE community with slammed outbacks. google it. having lived in Japan (where subarus originates btw) ive seen the huge following there.
Pil Park
There's also a community of people who legitimately believe the earth is flat, which has an even larger following.
Strength in numbers =/= intelligence in numbers
Had a stock '83 all wheel drive with hi and low range, only about 7" ground clearance, (though better approach and departure than new Subie's) ...and took that thing all over the place off-roading.
When I knew I couldn't rock crawl or mud bog it, I went around on the side of trails in place that would flip a typical SUV over in seconds, and my Subaru was so narrow it could ride on banks of trails. You could look back an see my little tracks on crazy routes that left buddies with their larger SUV's cracking up.
They didn't quite "respect" the Subaru (especially at first), but they knew it's all I had and at least broke down to admitting it could do far more than they expected, and even went past some spots that got them stuck. Of course these were friends and I didn't have too much trouble with respect... but they were surprised and reluctant sometimes because it was from Japan, and had been taught (of course) but older relatives to hate it.
Heres another area that car kicked ass--- very slippery, ice/snow roads. I could find at least one wheel on something other than ice, keep in 4 low (wis they still had that), and crawl up steep country roads that froze the daytime melt-off to a thin sheet of ice. With enough occasional bumps from mud and snow here and there, the '83 Subaru climbed more than one road like that where Ford pickups, International Scouts, Jeeps, Blazers, etc... couldn't follow me. I couldn't follow them through bogs and over tree trunks, but they couldn't follow me everywhere either. The traction was ridiculous. Maybe even better than the new ones.
CVT makes this Subaru an offroading dud. lol
My wife's 2009 mazda CX9 stock can do the same and has every day going to her parents. Her dad at 85 wanted to live his last days on a mountain in the Appalachian mountains and he did until he was 92 and his wife lived there another year and a half. Their driveway was an off roaders dream and the road to their driveway most people wouldn't attempt Pop didn't like company
"best suv"
cant go over 4" rock in road lmao
I'd say it's up there with the best of them. Good value for the price, great gas mileage, reliable and safe, lots of cargo space, and it can take you most places. It's obviously not a rock crawler. It's more of a wagon than an SUV anyway,
Just a quick correction for those who may be watching for learning purposes: At 6:02 he mentions X-Mode kicking it down into a "low-range". This is Not true and Not what happens when you turn on X-Mode in a Subaru. It's most likely the fact the throttle response changes when in X-Mode that caused him to believe this, but it's not a true low-range like that in a 4x4 vehicle with a transfer case. It does make it a little smoother when going over off-road obstacles and descending hills, but doesn't give you any additional torque because of a different gear ratio "low-range".
Need to lift that Baja.
This is a sweet ride. Glad to have seen it in person.
As soon as said "move this rock", that any real 4wd suv wouldn't have even noticed, he lost all off-road cred...
an Outback is not a "real 4wd SUV" That is the real point here. You are missing the entire point of the video. The outback is mildly capable offroard. More than say a Brady Bunch station wagon wouldn't you agree? Is it going to conquer MOAB? NO, but it's not designed for that. You all are missing completely the point. I can carry Kayaks and a family, a dog, camping supplies, fishing gear, tents and umpteen other things in my outback that wont fit in your JEEP. All while getting great gas mileage, in a comfortable ride. RELIABLY....
off road cred??? REALLY??? In Colorado here, anyone I have met on a trail has been KIND, HELPFUL, and NEVER brought up "cred" There is a "technical" part of off roading. It's called common sense and knowing your limits. GO AS SLOW AS POSSIBLE AND AS FAST AS NECESSARY" I have seen a lot of off road motorcycles...if I found one broken down I would help without thought....That is what it's all about...Not that his Moto can't manouver a Jeep killing obstacle!!
Bruh that little tint you used while changing your tire was so fucking badass